In his address to the crowd on Saturday, he said: "I pledge as taoiseach to use my office, for as long as I hold it, to advance the cause of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender] rights, to press for marriage equality across Ireland."

He also promised to "speak up for LGBT rights around the world where they are under attack, and to push for the implementation of the sexual health strategy here at home at a time when it is more important than ever".

'Equality'

Same-sex marriage is legal in the Republic of Ireland but not in Northern Ireland, which remains the only part of the UK not to introduce same-sex marriage legislation.

Mr Varadkar said he would be "pressing for marriage equality in Northern Ireland where currently our citizens do not have the same rights as we do".

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Leo Varadkar said he would use his office to promote gay rights around the world

Same-sex marriage has been a contentious subject at the Northern Ireland Assembly, where members have voted five times on the issue.

Speaking at the time, the then minister for health said: "I won't be allowing my own background or my own sexual orientation to dictate the decisions that I make."

He added: "I just kind of want to be honest with people. I don't want anyone to think that I have a hidden agenda."

'Enormous changes'

When he was elected taoiseach, much of the international media attention focused on his Indian heritage and his sexual orientation, whereas Irish mainstream media focused mainly on his age and economic policies.

As he addressed the 30,000-strong crowd at Dublin Pride on Saturday, Mr Varadkar acknowledged that shift in Irish attitudes.

"I don't think my election as taoiseach actually made history, it just reflected it - reflected the enormous changes that had already occurred in our country," he said.

"So, I don't think that I have changed things for you; I think people like you have changed things for me."